Archive for January 2015

Philadelphia, PA (January 20, 2015) – Eight years ago Eric “The Outlaw” Hunter took his first professional loss to Carlos Vinan at what was then called the “New Alhambra.” Tuesday night’s showdown with Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado marked Hunter’s first in-ring return to the venue, now called the 2300 Arena.

History did not repeat itself.

Hunter (19-3, 10 KOs) soundly outboxed Alvarado (21-3, 14 KOs) en route to a unanimous decision victory. Alvarado kept things competitive by letting his hands go, but Hunter was “too slick and too smart for him,” eloquently put by Outlaw in a post-fight interview. Alvarado was only able to land effectively when Hunter was passive in the southpaw stance. In the orthodox stance, Hunter dominated with left hooks, rocking Alvarado throughout the fight. Ironically, Hunter’s success with power shots may have made the fight harder on himself than it had to be. As the bout wore on, he stopped working his jab consistently and admits to gunning for the knockout. Alvarado showed a good chin; Hunter showed potential to be considered among the elite fighters in the featherweight division.

In the co-feature of the evening, Michael “The Artist” Perez edged former world champion Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta in a war. Perez (21-1-2, 10 KOs) took a while to get started but was eventually able to wear Acosta (29-7-2, 3 KOs) down with pressure. However, what made the fight intriguing was Acosta’s ability to regularly rally after his toughest spots in the fight, particularly in the final round. After getting dropped by a left hook in round 10, Acosta staged one of the most spirited comebacks of the year. It was non-stop toe-to-toe warfare with Acosta clearly getting the better of it. The fighters embraced each other at the final bell out of respect.

The remaining 5 bouts on the South Philly fight-card produced 3 knockouts and 2 decisions without much controversy, refreshing for boxing these days. Details follow.

1) Carlos Rosario (132.9 lbs) KO1 Timothy McNair (132.8 lbs) [0:33]

McNair took a knee and did not beat the 10-count.

Unofficial Card: N/A

McNair (0-2) apparently injured his left shoulder and did not wish to continue. Referee Gary Rosato had no choice but to count him out and award the victory to Rosario (1-1).

Sanchez (4-6, 2 KOs) physically imposed himself on Sweeney (3-1, 0 KOs) and got the benefit of the doubt in all close rounds on the official cards. Apart from round 5, when Sanchez pinned Sweeney against the ropes and dropped him with a right hook, Sanchez most clearly won round 2. Throughout the remainder of the bout, Sanchez’s lack of defense made it easy for the retreating Sweeney to score. Who says a punch is worth less because the fighter that landed it was moving backwards? Sweeney clearly took rounds 3 and 4 when Sanchez slowed down and it was difficult to split the fighters in the first and last rounds. Sweeney landed the cleaner and straighter punches but Sanchez had more power and was the aggressor. However, ring generalship was debatable as Sanchez mostly failed to cut off the ring.

In the televised opener, Roach (5-0, 2 KOs) made easy work of Quartey (12-10, 9 KOs), dropping the more seasoned pro three times with right hands before Hall-of-Fame referee Steve Smoger stepped in. Quartey, who was initially aggressive, was floored with a counter left hook + straight right combo in the first round. From there onward Roach was able to walk Quartey down without much trouble. On multiple occasions Roach trapped Quartey against the ropes and unleashed rapid combinations. Quartey proved resilient until round 4 when a left uppercut hurt him and set him up for another straight right. Subsequently Quartey hit the deck again and was stopped shortly thereafter.

Acosta ruled down on a clear slip but won the round otherwise. 10-9 Perez

10-9 Acosta

10-9 Perez

Acosta was legitimately knocked down but rallied big to win the rest of the round. 10-9 Perez

Unofficial Card: 97-94 Perez

In the opening rounds Perez and Acosta felt each other out with jabs. Acosta was first to make progress with his right hand as he landed it repeatedly and stunned Perez at the end of round 3. Perez, who claimed impaired vision throughout the contest, responded with powerful left hooks in round 4 to change the momentum of the fight. Acosta was manhandled in rounds 5 and 6 before having a good-yet-unlucky round 7 when he was knocked down by a left hook that grazed him on the back of his right shoulder. Gary Rosato made an honest mistake on the call. Acosta rebounded with a big effort in round 8 and Perez bounced back even stronger in round 9. The brilliance of round 10 was previously disclosed.

Hunter switched between orthodox and southpaw stances as he saw fit. He was willing to get hit in order to land a better punch of his own and displayed exceptional defensive skill without running or covering up. Whether Hunter let his hands go decided whether Alvarado had a case in winning rounds. Hunter’s lack of activity in rounds 2 and 3 may have been a byproduct of the accidental head clash that cut him outside of his left eye.

In any event, Hunter is now closer to a world title shot than he’s ever been. If he doesn’t get one next, perhaps Golden Boy Promotions matches him against the winner of Rocky Juarez vs Robinson Castellanos (scheduled for this coming Monday). Hunter has expressed a desire to fight Juarez in the past.

6) Avery Sparrow (134.2 lbs) TKO1 Pedro Andres (135.6 lbs) [1:41]

Sparrow started fast and put Andres down with a right hand mid-way through the opening round. Andres got up but didn’t want to continue.

Unofficial Card: N/A

Sparrow (3-0, 1 KO) picked up his second career first-round knockout against Andres (1-3, 1 KO).

Although the FS1 crew had already shut down production by this point, the pro Serrano crowd remained in attendance for the final bout of the night. The more experienced Serrano (19-2, 9 KOs) got off first and used his speed to pepper Rodriguez (6-1-3, 2 KOs) with combinations. Rodriguez tried to walk Serrano down but wasn’t busy punching in the process. However, Rodriguez did manage to hurt Serrano in round 3 with left crosses, probably the only round he was awarded on the official scorecards. Serrano is expected to return to action on Feb. 27.

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“Tuesday Night Fights” at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia was promoted by Golden Boy and Joe Hand. Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes televised the GBP fights as a part of the “Golden Boy Live” series. Although several star Philly fighters were in attendance, such as Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham and Bryant Jennings, Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins was the guest of honor. In addition to celebrating his 50th birthday, B-Hop took some camera time to self-promote a super middleweight showdown with Carl Froch. It could be “the last hurrah” for both veterans.

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Ryan Bivins is a professional boxer, the creator of Sweet Boxing Ratings, and a member of the voting panel for the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame. You may email him atrgbivins@gmail.comand listen to him Tuesday nights on The Ruckus, part of theBadCulture Radio Network.

The explosive, heavy-handed sluggers will join a veritable Who’s Who of the biggest, baddest and most notorious prizefighters in recent history that have appeared in compelling, often historical heavyweight fights on the network.

Many of the aforementioned fighters competed in an era when heavyweight was boxing’s glory division, when the saying “as the heavyweights go, so goes boxing” was never more meaningful or valid. Champions rarely ducked challengers and title belts often exchanged hands. The fighters of yesteryear, as colorful as they were crowd-pleasing, often made for thrilling, unforgettable fights.

On paper, Stiverne-Wilder figures to be as explosive as it gets; both possess dynamite in each mitt. So which fighter’s bone-crushing power is superior? Who can stand up to whose punch?

Those are the type of questions that make this must-see matchup so captivating. This isn’t merely a real, legitimate fight but a real, legitimate heavyweightworld championship fight.

Heavyweight Highlights, Stats and Facts: A look back at some of the most noteworthy and memorable fights on SHOWTIME, some of which initially appeared on (SHOWTIME) PPV:

There have been 26 heavyweight world championship fights on SHOWTIME. Tyson was involved in four of them, twice against Holyfield, who was in a total of six. Overall, Holyfield appeared on 18 SHOWTIME telecasts, two more than Tyson

Holyfield’s debut in the division – a fifth-round knockout over James “Quick” Tillis on July 16, 1988 – marked the first time a heavyweight fight was shown on the network

In the first heavyweight world title fight on SHOWTIME, Holyfield became undisputed champion with a third-round TKO over Douglas on Oct. 25, 1990. Vitali Klitschko-Samuel Peter was the most recent heavyweight world title fight

December 1988 – Holyfield improved to 2-0 as a heavyweight with a seventh-round TKO over former WBC champion Thomas

January 1990 – Foreman, 41, continued his astounding comeback with a smashing second-round knockout of Cooney

May 1993 – Lewis successfully defended his WBC title with a unanimous decision over No. 1-ranked Tucker. It was the first time in nearly 100 years that a British heavyweight stepped into the ring with the heavyweight belt

September 1995 – In his fourth attempt at a world title, Frank Bruno won a 12-round decision over McCall to become the first UK-born fighter to win the heavyweight title in a British ring

December 1995 – In a battle between the IBF’s top two contenders, Botha outdueled Germany’s Axel Schulz to win a 12-round decision and the vacant IBF title. The controversial result ignited the tossing of champagne bottles, glasses and other objects into the ring in Stuttgart, Germany

March 1996-Tyson regained a portion of the heavyweight title with a third-round knockout of Bruno, who was making the first defense of the WBC belt he’d won from McCall

September 1996 – Tyson snared his second world title in as many fights, spectacularly stopping defending WBA champ Seldon at 1:49 of the first round

November 1996 – Holyfield, a 25-1 underdog, battered Tyson en route to an 11th-round TKO and the WBA title. With the victory, Holyfield joined Muhammad Ali as boxing’s only three-time heavyweight champions

November 1996 – Moorer retained the IBF crown by stopping top contender Botha in the 12th round

The Bite Fight, June 1997 – In what was billed as the No. 1 boxing event of the decade, three-time world champion Holyfield kept his WBA belt after former undisputed heavyweight kingpin Tyson was disqualified following the third round for twice biting Holyfield on the ear

November 1997 – In a world title unification bout, WBA champion Holyfield dropped his IBF counterpart, Moorer, five times en route to a dominant eighth-round TKO

January 1999 – Tyson made a thunderous return to the ring, winning his first start in more than 18 months on a stunning one punch, fifth-round knockout over ex-world champ Botha

March 1999 – In one of the most exciting heavyweight fights of the decade, Holyfield was triumphant by 10th-round TKO over Dokes

January 2000 -Tyson knocked down Julius Francis five times — twice in the first round, and three times in the second — en route to a second-round TKO (it was stopped at 1:03)

August 2000 – Holyfield became the first boxer to capture the world heavyweight title four times, taking a close, unanimous 12-round decision over Ruiz to attain the vacant WBA championship

March 2001- Ruiz became the first Latino heavyweight champion after a stunning 12-round unanimous decision over four-time champ Holyfield to capture the WBA crown

October 2003 – Three-time world champion and IBF cruiserweight belt-holder James Toney scored one knockdown en route to a ninth-round TKO of Holyfield

October 2004 – Former WBO champ Wladimir Klitschko survived a fourth-round knockdown and a nasty cut to narrowly escape in his SHOWTIME debut with a fifth-round technical split decision over DaVarryl Williamson

April 2006 – A huge underdog making his first start in 16 months, Sergei Liakhovich scored a shocking 12-round unanimous decision over defending champion Brewster to garner the WBO title

September 2007 – In another brutal battle, Peter took the rematch against Toney on a convincing 12-round unanimous decision

October 2007 – The favored Peter survived three knockdowns by Jameel McCline to rally and retain the WBC interim title on a unanimous decision

October 2008 – Vitali Klitschko, 37, making his first start in nearly four years, manufactured a marvelous eighth-round TKO over Samuel Peter in Berlin, Germany. Klitschko’s history-making triumph marked the first time that two brothers held heavyweight titles simultaneously. At the time Klitschko’s younger brother, Wladimir, was the IBF and WBO world champion

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“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, January 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions andGolden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meets Fidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight Title. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME (10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live onSHOWTIME EXTREME® (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for the event are on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Tickets for an event co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotionsare on sale and priced at $500, $350, $250, $125 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $50 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Santa Cruz worked out for 45 minutes on Thursday. He shadow-boxed, hit the mitts, did calisthenics, jumped rope and did stretching exercises as live Norteno music blared in the background.

Below is what the champion Santa Cruz, his father/trainer Jose Santa Cruz and his brother/co-trainer Antonio Santa Cruz said at the workout:

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

“Right now I am focused on this fight. I want to get this fight over with and get the win. We trained really hard to get this fight. Ruiz is a great fighter, a tough fighter. I think he has fought for a world title already. I know he always comes prepared to win and give a great show.

“Ruiz has fought good fighters and shown that he has talent and determination. I don’t take him lightly or any other fighter. Sometimes the fighters they say are lazier are the ones that give you a tougher fight and a loss.

“I feel bad for all the people talking, but if they were in my shoes they would understand. I want the Rigondeaux fight, but the promoters have not come to an agreement. If it was up to me, I would fight him whenever. I am tired of people telling me that I am scared. I am looking for that fight as soon as possible, he is not invisible. I think I have a chance to beat him. I know he is a tough fighter, but that’s what we are here for, to fight the best.

“We are going to keep pushing for a fight with Abner Mares or Rigondeaux, have the promoters make that fight as soon as possible, so all the fans can be happy.

“I think if I can fight Mares, it will be a big pay-per-view event here at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

“Having my father as my trainer is the best for us. We do get into arguments, but they never last too long. Maybe one day we will get mad at each other, but then we talk as if nothing happened. I always try and concentrate and listen to him the best I can. He is the one I have always worked best with. There is more communication with him.

“My family is small so we always went into the gym together; we live in the same house together. We have always been together. We go fishing together, bowling, everything.

“I think because of my family support and my friends I have been able to stay calm and patient. I think of all the positive things and what I want to do to give a better fight.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Father and Lead Trainer

“All of Leo’s fights are always different. He never does the same thing over again. When it comes to training, there are small details we change, but nothing major. We might do weightlifting this camp, and not do weightlifting last camp, just stuff like that.

“Leo and I have an understanding that whoever we are fighting, we train for 100 percent all the time. The fact he is not fighting Mares or Rigondeaux, those are down the road and will happen. A fight with Rigondeaux does not excite me though because I know when he feels pressure or the heat, he is going to grab hold or run. I am not interested in fighting him. I would like to fight Mares or whoever else though, no problem. I do not like Rigondeaux’s style and neither does the public. The only ones who want that fight are the Rigondeaux camp and his fans.

“Leo is a great kid; he respects me, looks up to me and listens to me. That is why I am here training him. This is what Leo wants. I know there are better trainers than me out there, but this is what Leo likes and what he wants and it has been working out.

“I am not surprised my sons are fighters. I knew they would all be good great fighters. What I am surprised about is how the fans and the public have received the Santa Cruz family and especially the way they appreciate Leo.

“Since day one, when Leo started training at 8-years-old, the people and I saw that Leo had what it took. He was already beating little kids in the gym. I knew he would be something special. I knew that more about Leo than any of this other brothers. Leo is known for his volume punching but he is a good technical fighter too.”

ANTONIO SANTA CRUZ, Brother and Co-Trainer

“There is no difference in Leo’s training for this fight. He always trains the same way. He trains very hard. We will teach him more combinations, but that is really it.

“I have been an assistant trainer for almost three years. My father has been Leo’s main trainer since the beginning.

“My father got my brothers and me into fighting. When he first came to the United States, he went to a boxing gym and from there, he started to like it. He used to say that as soon as he had a kid, ‘I am going to put him in boxing.’ I’m the oldest, so he put me into boxing first.

“I am not surprised at Leo’s success, but very happy.,We have a good working relationship; he is very good at listening to me and taking orders.”

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SHOWTIME Sports® will present ALL ACCESS: STIVERNE VS. WILDER tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 9 at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.“RETURN TO GLORY”: STIVERNE VS. WILDER, a 12-round fight for Stiverne’s WBC Heavyweight Championship taking place Saturday, Jan. 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions. In the 12-round co-feature, unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz defends against Jesus Ruiz and undefeated Amir Imam meetsFidel Maldonado Jr. in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and will air live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).